Baker, Noah W. bio

From: "Biographical Review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois 1892", by Biographical Review Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois; pages 541-542, a reprinted by Stevens Publishing Co., Astoria, Ill., 1971, is sold by the Schuyler County Historical Society, Rushville, Illinois.
Noah W. Baker was born in Summit county, Ohio, June 25, 1835. He was the son of James M. and Eliza (Taylor) Baker. James M. Baker was of New York, and came from there to Ohio, and rented in Summit county, and soon after bought and began farming. In 1840, he sole his Ohio property and drove of oxen and one wagon, and settled in Pike county, near Griggsville, and lived there eight months. He then came to this county {Cass County} and bought forty acres and built a log house in which they lived. He then bought sixty acres more, and he lived there till his death, which occurred when he was eighty-six years of age.
Our subject's father was one of five children. Our subject's mother was born in Connecticut and came West to Ohio with her people, and she died here about seventy-one years of age. Noah W. was one of eight children, four yet living, and all in this neighborhood but one. The subject of this sketch is a Democrat, and was from his twenty-first year. His people all belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was at home till he was of age, and then worked out by the month.
He was married February 21, 1867, to Miss Margaret Greenleaf, who was born in Elkhorn township, July 10, 1843. She was the daughter of Peter and Mary (Furguson) Greenleaf, she being of Ohio, and he came from Canada to Illinois. Their daughter Margaret, was one of four children, and all are living. Margaret's father and mother died in Elkhorn township and had about 160 acres of land at his death. He went to California overland and part of the way he walked and rode. He staid there four years, and while there he practiced the trade of a tanner. He returned by land.
Our subject's wife had nine children, seven of whom are living: Hattie M. was born December, 1869; Perry was born February 4, 1870; Susie was born October 22, 1873; Nellie was born September 6, 1875; Fred was born November 16, 1878; Carson was born October 13, 1883, and Mart was born April 13, 1885. After his marriage our subject settled on the forty acres he had bought and built a log house and then a frame one. He lived there till 1888. He has now in the neighborhood, over 480 acres and eighty under cultivation.
Subject's children are all cultivated and intellectual. One of them is teaching, two are musical, and the others are more or less gifted. He himself is a Democrat and voted for Stephen A. Douglas. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is also a member of the I.O.O.F. He is a fine man, and very much respected by all of his fellow citizens.